


Opia

by ooliblikas



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Adventure, Age Difference, Alternate Universe, Angst, Crime, M/M, Music Festival, Psychic, Road Trip, Romance, Sci-Fi, Telekinesis, Underage Drinking
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-28
Updated: 2016-01-18
Packaged: 2018-05-03 18:41:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,430
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5302574
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ooliblikas/pseuds/ooliblikas
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cursed with telekinesis, Roxas is a genetically modified lab rat who has been given a second chance at life. Running from the very government that created him, he finds solace in a pair of chartreuse eyes and comradery in a group of misfits who are just trying to enjoy their first spring break away from home.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue: Begin Again

**Opia:** _n._  the ambiguous intensity of looking someone in the eye, which can feel simultaneously invasive and vulnerable—their pupils glittering, bottomless and opaque—as if you were peering through a hole in the door of a house, able to tell that there's someone standing there, but unable to tell if you're looking in or looking out.

**xxx**

* * *

A blonde youth sat at a table inside of a small, white room. His sharp sapphire eyes briefly scanned over a series of cards that were laid out before him, each containing a basic geometric shape. He had been instructed to keep his forearms flat on the table surface before him, stim-pads and wires connecting him to a machine that spit-out vital signs in the form of slopping lines.

On the other side of the table was one of the many neuroscientists the blonde semi-reluctantly regarded as family. The man wore a lab coat and had his dark-gray hair tied back into a pony-tail, light-brown eyes focusing on a vertical board that separated him from the adolescent youth, but more importantly, shielded the youth from being able to see what card was currently being displayed, "Roxas, can you—"

Roxas stared forward now, eyes borrowing into the man's light-brown ones as the card that displayed a star levitated in front of him, rotating so as to face the scientist. However, the man in the lab coat wasn't amused, a frown etching on his face, undoubtedly annoyed at the blonde's impatience over the experiment.

"Can you—" The scientist started again, but he was effectively silenced when the adolescent across from him begun levitating all of the cards, including the ones on the scientists' side, " _Roxas-!_ " The name fell from the man's lips in a warning, but the authoritative tone waivered under the intense stare of the younger male.

In response, the blonde's mouth quirked up into a grin, levitating the remaining, but sparse, equipment in the room, including the table both were currently sitting at. The machine that was meant to record the blonde's vitals was now working in double-time, colored lines blending together as the sloping lines turned into a series of mountain peaks and deep trenches.

"That's enough, Roxas!" This time the command didn't come from the scientist, but from a voice over the intercom. A voice Roxas recognized as belonging to Vexen, the man who had acted as a surrogate father to him. The amused grin faded from Roxas' face as the levitated items were dropped, cards fluttering down around them like confetti from a birthday party.

Roxas stood now, pulling stim-pads from his skin as he did, "Can I go back to my room now?" Roxas maintained eye-contact with the scientist, though the question wasn't directed at him, instead to the voice over the intercom. His question was punctuated by the overwhelming silence that filled the room, the scientist eying him as if he expected the youth to lunge at him. Roxas was used to their fear, even if he had never given anyone a reason to fear him. His altogether icy exterior and ability to bend steel bars with his mind was all the motivation people needed to stay clear of him.

"Fine"

The answer from Vexen was reluctant, but Roxas didn't pay it any iattention as he walked out of the door and into a dimly lit room filled with computer monitors that played live video feed of the room Roxas had just been in, as well as other monitors that were in charge of recording all of his cognitive activity. Vexen wore a frown the moment he spotted the blonde, but he didn't say anything as he instead led the adolescent out of the room and into a sterile-white hallway, "You can't just make up your own rules."

Roxas snorted at Vexen's scolding as he pushed past a double hinged door, "Says the man who plays God for a living." Roxas had known since he was a child that he'd been genetically engineered in the lab, constructed from embryonic stem cells and carried to term by a woman who died giving birth to him. His real mother, the egg donor, had been cursed with telekinesis which she passed down to Roxas. Unlike his mother, though, Roxas had been bred to be a superior race of human. Having grown up in the military base, Roxas had been raised as a solider, child-hood stripped from him the moment he turned nine. While he excelled in hand-to-hand combat and could manipulate objects twenty times his own weight, he failed in the majority of emotional and social aspects.

"I mean it, Roxas, these people—"Vexen had stopped walking, leaning closer to Roxas as if to block-out any prying ears, "—these people are looking for compliance, not rebellion. Do not make yourself expendable." Roxas could sense genuine fear in Vexen's tone, as if the older male was privy to knowledge that Roxas wasn't.

"Expendable? I'm human too, not some fucking lab rat." Roxas gritted his teeth, anger boiling beneath his hardening gaze, "These  _people_  are fucking monsters. I'm tired of being experimented on, Vexen. At the end of the day, you get to go home to your family. To your wife and your two daughters, but me? I'm eighteen and the only world I know is this fucking military base!" Roxas was yelling now, oblivious to the military medical staff that weaved around them, casting curious glances at the confrontation.

"Keep your voice down, Roxas!" Vexen spoke through clenched teeth, a hand coming to clasp onto Roxas' bicep in an attempt to control him before redirecting him down the hallway.

For the moment, Roxas followed orders as they continued walking down the hallway, "I know you're human, but these people, they don't care. They're looking for results and if you keep acting out, you're going to get hurt. When they look at you, all they see is dollar signs and a weapon." Roxas would be lying if Vexen's words didn't cut deeply, high-lighting realities Roxas had only thought about while tossing and turning in his bed at night.

Roxas pursed his mouth shut at that point, yanking his bicep from the man but still following the older male towards his bedroom. Upon arrival, Vexen slid his identification card through the electronic lock outside of the door, red-light flashing green. Inside, Roxas' room mimicked that of a cheap studio apartment, basic necessities with only a few adolescent flares serving as testament to Roxas' humanity. Even if he couldn't be a normal teenager, it didn't hurt to pretend.

However, as they stepped into the living room, door closing behind them, Roxas sensed something was wrong the moment his eyes came to rest on a suit-clad Saix. In all of his eighteen years, Roxas could remember only meeting the man four times, each time leaving an inexplicable sour taste in his mouth.

"No one informed me you would be visiting, Saix." Vexen spoke now, an amicable smile on his face as he regarded the man.

"We have a strict cease and desist order from above. As of now, your entire lab and all of its equipment are to be surrendered over to me. "Saix's tone was less friendly in contrast, his golden-eyes void of any identifiable emotion as he presented Vexen with a document that presumably detailed the order.

"That's—This is absurd. What is the meaning of this?" Vexen glossed over the papers in a state of raw fury and confusion, eyes darting between the papers in his hand and to Saix who remained nonplused, "You're firing me? And what about Roxas? What happens to him?"

Saix rolled his shoulders in a shrug, tucking his hands into the pockets of his black slacks, "There's some concern that you're too emotionally invested in your experiment. It's clouding your judgement and, as such, you've been deemed unfit to continue running it." Saix then turned his gaze to Roxas, eyes trailing up his length in vague acknowledgment, "As for Roxas, I believe he falls under equipment."

"We'll just see what Xemans thinks about this." Vexen replied, turning to exit the room only to freeze when several military swat members entered the room, guns drawn and barrels pointed at both Vexen and Roxas.

"Stand down, or we'll respond with lethal force." The unidentified militant's voice was muffled behind his protective helmet and mask, taking cautionary steps forward so as to intimidate Roxas and Vexen into listening to him.

In response, both Roxas and Vexen slowly raised their hands above their heads in surrender, "Just do what they say." Roxas spoke softly, his voice wavering as adrenaline pumped through his body, pupils dilating in response to his sympathetic nervous system. He eventually came to rest his hands on the back of his head, fingers interlacing to suggest his complete compliance and surrender.

"They'll kill you if you comply, Roxas." Vexen spoke matter-of-fact, his tone flattened as both men kept their gaze forward.

"And if he doesn't comply, we'll kill you instead." Saix's voice filtered in from behind them.

"Then I comply." Roxas responded quickly. The fear of death was nothing but a dull ache in the pit of Roxas' stomach. He had nothing to lose, but Vexen had his family and an entire life outside of the military base. Even if the very thought made bile rise in his throat, Roxas knew that he was just a lab rat.

The militant who had spoken earlier now lowered his gun and stepped behind the two men, withdrawing hand-cuffs from his belt. Roxas flinched at the cold metal that bit into the flesh of his wrists, teeth gritting out of discomfort as he was yanked back by the bicep, held in place by the military officer.

He was then shoved forward, forced to walk past the remaining swat members and Vexen, who was cursing Saix while simultaneously pleading for Roxas' release. Roxas had barely stepped over the threshold of the doorway when he heard the gun-shot. The sound reverberated through Roxas, daunting realization working through his body. He yelled, face contorting into a mixture of horror and panic as he realized Vexen had been shot, "Vexen! You sick fucks!" Roxas continued yelling, a frothy heat building in his throat as it became raw with profanities that he directed at Saix. He then lifted a leg, crashing the heel of his boot into the shin of the militant's leg.

His bicep had been released, sending him sliding forward onto the white tiles of the floor. With focus, Roxas used his telekinesis to snap the metal chain of the hand-cuffs, swinging his leg simultaneously to kick the injured militant's legs out from under him. Roxas quickly rose to his feet and with his hands now free, retrieved the gun the militant had been holding before firing a bullet into the man's chest with little remorse.

He then raised his arm to point the gun at the remaining swat-members who had flooded the hall, guns poised at him. Roxas held his finger on the trigger as he stepped forward. He then raised his free hand, thrusting it forward which resulted in the soldiers being thrown backwards as if they were nothing but rag dolls, colliding against concrete walls with enough force to snap bones like twigs. In his anger, the lights above them flickered until they popped and plunged the hallway into a dim darkness. He stepped forward, re-entering the room where Vexen was strewn across the floor, blood pouring from a bullet-hole in the back of his head.

Roxas didn't acknowledge the corpse, though, his gaze focusing on Saix who held a pistol in his hand. The man who had showed little remorse or apathy, now trembled with fear as he tried to steady the pistol in his hand. In desperation, the man fired his gun, but the bullet stopped just short of the center of Roxas' forehead. With the same control, Roxas was able to flip the bullet with his mind and maintaining its speed, the bullet flung forward until it embedded itself in the center of Saix's forehead. A short, strained gurgling came from Saix before the man collapsed, blood oozing from the wound in rivulets of blood.

Roxas now came to kneel beside Vexen, gently rolling the man onto his back. Roxas knew that there was nothing he could for the man, but it didn't cease the tears that rolled down his cheeks. The blond exhaled sharply, body trembling as he momentarily cradled the man's head in his lap, "I'm sorry." He mumbled through his tears, repeating his apologies several more times as he tried to comprehend his own reality. Still, a greater reality settled around him. A blaring alarm rung out around him, informing him that if he wanted to live, he had to leave. With a final good-bye, Roxas removed Vexen's identification card before fleeing the scene.

**xxx**

For the most part, Roxas knew the facility like the back of his hand. He was quick on his feet, sliding the identification card through the electronic lock that lead to a stairwell. He propelled himself down the flight of stairs, stopping short when bullets ricocheted against the concrete walls of the stair well, causing Roxas to look up where another militant was firing at him.

Still, he continued the descent before slipping into another corridor, narrowly avoiding running into more militants who were in the middle of restraining any unauthorized staff members. Red-lights flashed around him, signaling that the building was being placed into an emergency lock-down.

However, as he turned down another hallway, he came face to face with a militant, gun pointed at him. Roxas froze, blue-eyes darting between the solider and the stair-well behind him, "Don't make me hurt you." Roxas warned, raising his hands in a gesture of surrender, "Let me go."

In response, the militant lowered his weapon before lifting the shield that covered his face, "Roxas?" The voice was cautious, but familiar.

"Leon?" Roxas questioned, a small wave of relief washing over him, "T-They killed Vexen. Please, you have to help me escape. If-If I stay—" Roxas tried to take a step forward, but the brunette raised his gun in response.

"I have orders to kill you." Leon spoke, his voice unmistakably wavering as he steadied his weapon. Roxas considered the older male to be one of the few friends he had on the military base, having been mentored by the man in hand-to-hand combat under the instruction of Saix. They had cultivated a brotherly bond during the decade they'd known each other, but now, Roxas wasn't sure if any of that mattered now.

"Please, Leon. Don't do this." Roxas' hands trembled now, knowing that if the man did attack, he'd have almost no choice but to react.

This time, though, Leon lowered his weapon to his side, "I know a way out, but we have to be quick." Leon instructed hastily, gesturing for the blonde to follow after him. As they entered the stair-well, Leon led Roxas down the stairs, gun drawn in the event that anyone tried to stop them. As they reached the bottom floor, Leon opened the door with hesitance, both males keeping their eyes peeled for anyone that would get in their way.

"There's a sewage system beneath the base, it's about five miles long." As Leon spoke he pressed himself up against one of the walls, looking at Roxas, "You understand, of course, that this isn't over. They're going to hunt you down, Roxas." Leon spoke steadily, as if he believed Roxas had a choice in the situation.

"I know." Roxas responded, nodding his head, "I know." He repeated, giving the older male a reassuring smile despite the fear that pulsated through him.

With moderate ease, Leon was able to safely escort Roxas to the basement and to a sewer grate that was used to drain water during hurricane season. With assistance from Leon, the males were able to remove the grate, "Here, take this." As Leon spoke, he unclipped a flash-light from his belt and handed it to Roxas.

"Thank you, Leon." Roxas smiled meekly, turning the flash light on as he descended the ladder that lead down into the sewer. Half-way down, Leon reapplied the grate overhead. Once Roxas located solid ground, he followed the sewer system.

**xxx**

Just when Roxas was beginning to believe the sewer system had no end, he heard the pitter-patter of rain, and before he knew it, he was standing at the mouth of a large tunnel where the water emptied out into a trench. As Roxas exited the sewer system, he realized he was in the middle of an open field surrounded by woods.

The crisp night-air invaded his lungs as he stepped further into the field, rain falling in sheets and soaking straight through Roxas clothes. He found himself looking up, eyes squinting into the rain that created gentle patterns on his skin. He ran fingers through his hair, slicking it back. He'd only seen real rain once in his entire life, but he'd never felt it. Thus, like a child discovering the vast complexities of the universe, Roxas extended his arms skyward, spinning in a circle. As he now dropped his hands to his side, his fingers grazed over the tall grass of the field, sensations he'd never experienced before sent neurons exploding within his body. His tears mixed with the falling rain, tears that were still falling over the loss of his only family, but new tears that came with the realization that, for the first time, he was  _free._

Still, he had to push forward, to put distance between himself and the military base. Thus, he pushed himself forward, running as far as his feet could carry him.

**xxx**

Just as the sun had begun peaking over the top of the horizon, Roxas stumbled through the woods and onto a paved road that lead to a motel. Roxas stared at the building in awe, and while he had a vast basic understanding of the world around him, he had never experienced any of it. With hesitation, his feet propelled him forward until he was standing inside of the main-office, bell ringing above his head. At the sound, a large pump woman emerged from a back room, eyes scanning over Roxas with a look of utter confusion, "Boy, you look just short of a wet-rat."

"Can I—" Roxas began speaking, pausing as various movie scenes flooded his memory, each giving him a clue as to what he was meant to do in this scenario, "—get a room?"

The woman gave him another look over, "Sure, it'll be seventy-five for the night. Cash or credit?"

Roxas felt his mouth work itself into an 'o' shape, recalling that the real world worked on a currency. Roxas frowned, "I don't—"

"You runnin' away from somethin'?" The woman suddenly asked, leaning forward to get a closer look at the trembling blond.

"No, I just—"Roxas' had started his answer quickly, but it faltered as he tried to gather an explanation.

"Save it. I used to have a boyfriend who beat me real bad too. Listen, I'll make a deal with you, I'll let you stay in a room tonight. For free, but if you want to keep staying here, you'll either need to find some cash or work for me. Fair enough?" The woman spoke, turning to pluck a room key off the hook, holding it just out of Roxas' reach.

Of course, the comment about domestic abuse was lost on Roxas who merely furrowed his brows together in confusion. Still, the chattering of his teeth told him to nod his head in agreeance, "Fair enough." He agreed hesitantly, accepting the key, "Thank you."

**xxx**

Back out in the rain, Roxas looked down at the key that displayed the number thirteen, and counting off the numbers in his head, he finally found the room the key belonged to. As he slipped inside, he closed the door behind him and made an immediate beeline to the bathroom, peeling away rain-soaked clothes as he did.

Under the fluorescent lighting of the bathroom, Roxas marveled at his disgruntled appearance. From his telekinetic exertion, several of the blood vessels in his eyes had burst, staining the white of his eyes a crimson red. Still, he was mostly unscathed and turning from the mirror, he turned the shower on and stepped inside of the tub, his trembling momentarily heightened as his body adjusted to the change in temperature.

Once cleaned up, he realized his clothes were too soaked to put back on, prompting him to lay the fabric out to dry as he kept a towel wrapped around his waist. Eventually, his own exhaustion won out and climbing beneath the covers of the motel's bed, he found himself drifting in and out of consciousness until everything faded to black.


	2. To feel, finally for real

**Axel**

Axel drummed his fingers on the steering wheel, head methodically bobbing to the Dear and The Headlights album he'd snuck by Demyx's prying eyes, and overly pretentious ears. The blond in question was passed out in the passenger seat, head pressed against the glass as he snored in shallow breaths.

Behind them, Riku had his feet propped up on the back of Demyx' chair, finagling himself into a seated fetal position that made Axel's back twinge in discomfort just at the sight. Unlike Demyx, though, Riku was awake and engrossed in reading Isaac Asimov's  _The End of Eternity_  for what felt like the fiftieth time since they'd graduated from high school together.

The sun had only been up for about an hour, but it felt like an eternity as Axel passed by another series of trees that looked identical to the last. They'd been driving for about ten hours, and while everyone had started out with anticipated exuberance, they were now grouchy and disgruntled courtesy to their tight-quarters and clashing taste in music. To make matters worse, they still had another seven hours to go until they made it to the music festival in Colorado.

It had been Demyx's idea that the group make the road-trip, complaining that since Axel and Riku would be graduating in May, destined for graduate school, they had to have one more  _stellar_  trip. Admittedly, the promise of booze, marijuana, and attractive humans ready to ensnare themselves in a tangle of human flesh, didn't take much convincing. Thus, they had every intention of making spring break their  _bitch_.

If only, spring break wasn't busy making them  _her_  bitch.

"Fuck." Axel grunted as Demyx's Monte Carlo sputtered, followed by a sound that Axel swore was akin to the gates of Hell opening around them. A plume of smoke engulfed the hood of the car, and for the first time, Axel noticed that the car was over-heating. Axel jerked the car over to the side of the road, kicking up dirt as he did. Between the noise and sudden shift of movement, everyone was stirred awake, allowing Axel to shoot an accusatory look over to Demyx, "Anyone ever tell you that your car is a piece of shit?!"

**Roxas**

Roxas awoke with a start, springing into a sitting position as he breathed heavily, tremors running through his body while eyes darted around the room in search of familiarity. At first, he couldn't remember where he was and panic begun to set in until the prior night's events came flooding in with the cosmic force of a tsunami.

His skin glistened with sweat, hair still damp from the shower he'd only take a few hours ago. His body ached, presumably overwhelmed with the physical exertion it had taken for him to get where he was. Not to mention, he was sure his body was still adjusting to the outside world.

For a moment, Roxas took in the silence of his room. Everything from the day before felt decades away, and yet, the images of Vexen, even Saix, were burned into his corneas. The thought made his stomach churn, stomach bile climbing the walls of his esophagus. On top of it, he was afraid that if he stuck around too long, he'd be hunted down.

He stood from the bed, checking over his still damp clothes before pulling them back, wincing in discomfort. He used his fingers to brush back his hair, taking tentative steps towards the front door before slipping out.

The warm air kissed his skin, sun beating down on his pale skin as he took in the scenery with awe. The motel was nestled in the middle of an expanse of field, accentuated by the tuffs of woodland that sprouted up in the horizon. The motel itself was two-floored with less than a handful of cars scattered in the parking lot. The sun-beaten paint was chipping away on the siding, alluding to the building being far older than Roxas had recently thought. Now, though, in the sun-light, Roxas could see that the motel was attached to a small diner, and not too far off down the road, was a garage of some sort. Just as Roxas was about to step off the landing, he spotted a young girl approaching him out of his peripheral vision.

"You're the blonde in room thirteen, right?" The girl in question snapped her gum between words, skin a golden brown from the sun and her auburn hair tied up in a bun. She wore a midriff bearing red shirt, exposing a glittering piece of jewelry in her naval that made Roxas arch his brow in curiosity. Her sandals slapped against the wood porch beneath them as she quickened her pace.

"Uh, yeah." Roxas mumbled, flexing his brain's capacity to formulate thoughts into well-articulated conversation pieces. He squinted at her, noting the freckles that were speckled across her face in the form of unexplored constellations.

"My mother told me to give you these. I have a little brother about your age, probably same height, too." The girl laughed, handing him a knapsack of what Roxas could only presume was clothes. For a moment, Roxas' brows knitted together in confusion, but realization swept over him when he recalled the woman who'd given him a room in the first.

"T-Thanks, but I really don't—"Roxas tried to protest, embarrassed that complete strangers were going to such great lengths to care for him.

"Trust me, I think you could use a fresh change of clothes." The girl laughed, eye-brows raised as she scanned him over in appraisal, "Got a name? Mine's Kairi." When the knapsack was successfully in Roxas' hands, the girl crossed her arms over her chest.

"Roxas." The blond replied, mimicking a soft smile as he spoke, "Thank you for the clothes."

"Don't mention it. Why don't you get dressed and meet me over at the diner for breakfast? You've gotta' be starvin', right?" Kairi smiled at him, a soft laugh escaping her lips as she gestured over to where the diner was.

**Axel**

When the smoke had dissipated enough that Axel could pop-open the hood, he discovered that the coolant was nearly depleted, "Probably a leak." Axel frowned, rubbing at the back of his neck before glancing over at Demyx, "You wouldn't happen to have coolant in your trunk, would ya?" If it was a leak, the coolant wouldn't help them much, but it could at least allow them to push the engine a little further.

Demyx had moved to stand beside Axel, running fingers over his under-cut to brush back a stubborn cowlick, "No."

"'Course not," Axel frowned, dropping the hood back down with more force than he intended, vehicle rocking gently. The red-head then scanned over their vicinity, eyes glancing over the horizon lines that told them no cars were coming their way.

"No service, either." Riku commented, holding his IPHONE skyward in a futile attempt to locate some kind of signal, "Not that it matters, since someone doesn't have roadside assistance." The male snorted, casting a look over to Demyx while shaking his head.

"I  _do_  have road-side assistance, I just  _don't_  have the card with me." Demyx defended with a sneer, as if the situation warranted any sort of superiority.

"Yeah, we get that, Sherlock." Riku returned his cellular device to the confines of his back pocket, pulling out a cigarette and lighter in its place, lighting up.

Axel ignored the childish bantering as he spotted a road-sign, "There's a motel two miles away. One of us could walk there and call for help." With the building heat licking at the back of his neck, Axel found himself tying up his red hair in a sloppy bun, strands falling across the back of his neck.

Demyx, who had spotted the same sign, cast Axel a side-ways glance, "I'll rock, paper, scissors for it." There was determination in his voice, attesting to an underlying power-struggle only the two males seemed to understand.

Riku tossed his hands up sky-ward, exasperated sigh escaping his lips, "Are we really about to do this right  _now_?"

"Fine, one round." Axel responded, amusement etching its way on his face as he ignored Riku's protesting. There was nothing wrong with childish antics, even in the face of an emergency. The two males squared off, Axel feeling relatively confident in his decision to throw out 'rock'.

"Ha, paper beats rock!" Demyx snickered, all too wildly impressed in his good fortune, "Better get to hiking before the sun roasts your Irish ass."

**xxx**

By the time Axel finally spotted the motel his skin was coated in a thin film of sweat, M83 band shirt molding to his wiry frame. Despite the fact that motel looked decent enough, Axel couldn't swallow the  _Texas Chainsaw Massacre_  vibe that radiated off the back-woods location. As an urbanite, country wasn't Axel's thing and the mere possibility of roaming bear made him swallow spit out of fear. As he entered in the main office of the motel, he was relieved at the cold blast of air-conditioning that offered him temporary reprieve.

"That didn't take long-" The girl behind the counter had begun talking until she looked up from the guest-book in front of her, "Oh, sorry, I thought you were someone else. What can I do for you?" The girl chomped gum like a horse, jaw grinding with enough ferocity to start an earthquake. Axel had to look away, convinced that staring too long might lead to him being sucked into the infinite vortex that seemed to be the girl's mouth.

"Can I borrow your phone? Car broke down a few miles north." Axel leaned against the counter, gesturing with a hand in the direction Axel assumed was north.

"Don't bother." The female started, plucking the desk-phone off the receiver before dialing. She waited patiently, blowing a bubble before popping it, "Hey, Don, there's some kid at the motel whose car broke down. Think you can tow it for me?" There was an unmistakable flirtatious drawl, the female carefully annunciating the words as a display of her sexual prowess, "Awesome, thanks."

"So?" Axel started, raising a brow.

"Two minutes tops. You're free to wait here until then." The girl offered, rolling her shoulders.

The bell above the door rung, causing Axel too look behind him where a blonde male seemed to be making heads or tails of the situation. As Axel stared, transfixed on the human before him, he swore with every fiber in his being that he felt the world tilt on its axis the moment his chartreuse eyes intermingled with the sapphires of the others. He'd never believed in the theory of love at first sight, but the hammering in his chest and the cotton swabs infiltrating his mouth were testament to the fact that he was willing to  _try_.

The male boasted the type of human perfection that would have had Adolf Hilter weeping at the very sight, eyes shining a bright blue and blond-hair that looked feather soft. What he lacked in height, the male made up for in sharp jaw-line and puckered lips meant for a cover-girl model. He was the poster boy for the Teenage American Ideal and Axel wanted to melt into the floorboards right then and there.

"Oh, hey, Roxas. I knew you'd clean up nice." The girl behind the counter smiled, and the eye-connection between Roxas and Axel was broken, "Perfect timing, too." The girl continued, stepping out from behind the counter and pushing past Axel to peek out into the parking lot through the front window, "Tow trucks here."

**Roxas**

Roxas felt insecure under the intense gaze of the tall male that occupied the motel's office, chartreuse digging into him until Roxas felt as if his skin had been peeled back to reveal raw nerves. It was intimidating to be stared at by such of a behemoth of a man and it didn't help that the man had the disposition of a serial killer. Roxas would have fled if he'd been any younger, but his feet remained melded in place, relieved when Kairi broke the intense stare down by speaking.

At the mention of a tow-truck, the tall red head dismissed himself from the small office and out into the parking lot. Kairi remained by the window, peeking through the blinds, "What I wouldn't give-" The girl spoke to herself, whistling low which left Roxas arching a brow in confusion. The girl suddenly exhaled, turning to look at Roxas, "How about that breakfast then?"

**xxx**

It wasn't until Roxas had stepped foot inside of the diner did he realize just how angry he was. His stomach ached with such ferocity he thought the acid would be enough to devour him from the inside out. Pushing aside his own morbidity, he sat down at one of the tables with Kairi. As he did, the woman from the night before stepped out from the kitchen, wringing a towel that she tossed over her shoulder, "I see you're settling in. Breakfast is on me, and listen, if you need a place to stay you're welcome here so long as you work for me. I'm sure we could use some help in the kitchen."

Roxas smiled in spite of the lingering knowledge that he couldn't stay here longer than need be. Still, he mumbled another 'thank you' before glancing through the menu, desperate for nourishment.

**Axel**

"How long do you think it'll take to fix it?" Demyx asked, eye-brows knitting together as the man named 'Don' hooked the Monte-Carlo up on the tow-truck.

"Ehh, a day. Ain't the city, kids. Gotta go into town to find ya the parts, y'know?" Don spoke over the gnashing of tobacco that was lodged deep within the right side of his cheek, spitting a frothy brown liquid into the dirt beneath their feet, "But yer in luck, 'cause my shops right next to the motel. At least you won't have to spend the night under the stars." The man released a hearty laugh that came from somewhere deep in the man's abdomen, swollen beer belly jumping with each laugh.

"Not too bad." Riku reassured, rolling his shoulders in a shrug, "We can spend the night, and by first sun-light, we can leave. Still got time to make it to Colorado."

"Fine with me." Axel mused, though if only because he hoped he would run into Roxas again.

By the time the vehicle was loaded and they'd safely secured a room at the motel, the only thing left for the trio to do was stuff their faces with food, shower, and argue over what channel to watch.

**Roxas**

At some point, Kairi was whisked away by the call of errands, leaving Roxas to his own devices. As such, Roxas made a beeline for the front office where he looked through brochures and pamphlets until he discovered road-maps. He knew it wasn't stealing, but he wanted to make it quick least someone stick their nose in his business. Once he found a map for the entirety of the United States, Roxas slipped outside of the office and made a beeline back to his room, locking himself inside.

Turning on the lights, he searched through drawers until he found a pen and blank paper, sitting at the round table where he opened up the pamphlet. With ease, he spotted Nevada and circled it with a black pen, "I should head east." Roxas spoke to himself, using a finger to trail across the length of the country, stopping short of the east-coast. It was arguably the farthest he could get without needing identification, but he didn't know how he would get there. Walking seemed impractical, but it wasn't as if he had access to any other form of transportation. The thought made Roxas bite his bottom, dragging the ridges of his teeth against skin before breaking into a frown.

However, his thoughts were cut short at the sound of a very loud thud outside of his door followed by a slew of muffled curses. Out of curiosity, and perhaps fear for his safety, Roxas strode over to the door and peered out through the key-hole. He could barely make out the human figures, minus a familiar red-head who was in the middle of laughing at something someone was doing outside of Roxas' visual field.

Roxas leaned back, stepping away from the door to return to the map that was strewn across the desk. He scanned over the states, recalling blanket information he'd learn from Vexen, chest-tightening the more he thought of the older male. It dawned on him that somewhere a mother and two children were being informed that their husband and father was dead. He released a strangled sob he hadn't known he'd been holding back, tears falling onto the map in front of him, "Compose yourself." Roxas told himself, wiping tears away. It was then that he decided he wanted to head to New York, even if it meant walking there.

**Axel**

At some point, he'd fallen asleep listening to a documentary about the gradual extinction of polar bears and he didn't wake until well past twelve in the morning. On the bed adjacent to his, Demyx was sprawled across the bed, undoubtedly winning some sort of power struggle Axel wasn't privy to. Riku, the sure-fire loser in the battle, was passed out on the recliner, feet hanging over the arm-rests. Axel groaned, sitting up to rub sleep from his eyes with the heels of his palm.

With some ease, he stood, jump-starting his circulation as he leaned over the edge of his bed to give a quick smack to Riku's shoe-clad foot, causing the man to stir in his sleep, a hum escaping from the back of his throat in acknowledgement, "Take the bed, man. I'm going out for a smoke."

Whether Riku took his invitation or not, he didn't stick around to find out as he pulled on a jacket, knowing that while the Nevada sun could melt brick, it was no match for the cold-air that followed at night. As he stepped outside onto the porch, he inhaled the fresh air through his nose, walking around to the side of the motel where the vending machines were located.

Just as he was sliding quarters into the vending machine, finger poised to press buttons, he heard the sound of splashing water.

**Roxas**

Roxas couldn't sleep, and when he couldn't sleep, he went for a walk. Of course, back at the military base, his nightly walks usually consisted of him pacing metaphorical holes into carpet of his so-called studio apartment. Now, however, he was free to walk around outside, and he did, bare feet padding against the wooden slates until they made contact with dirt and grass. He walked the perimeter of the building until he reached the back of the building, fenced-in pool drawing him in.

Roxas realized it was late, just a little after two in the morning. Thus, he saw no harm in hopping the fence and walking the rim of the pool as if it were a tight-rope above a canyon. The water beneath him was clear and still, mimicking that of a pane of glass. The glow of the pool's interior lights reflected off his skin, bathing him in a soft glow of blue. With an extended hand, he made a sweeping motion, telekinetic energy pulling up droplets of water that hung in suspended animation until he released them. Then, with new found ambition, he dove in.

When he re-emerged, he slicked back blonde hair with his fingers, ignoring how the water-logged clothing clung to his skin. There were inklings of newly discovered freedom in everything he did, new memories being cultivated each time he breathed in fresh-air. He'd been re-birthed, pulled from the deepest parts of his own eternal hell only to be birthed into an existence he'd only ever dreamed of. He might have been eighteen, but his understanding of the world was still infantile at its core.

Weight-less, he leaned back until he was floating, suspended in a newly discovered state of purgatory. Roxas skin bristled with goose-bumps, cold-air lapping at his exposed skin but he didn't pay it any attention. His gaze remained sky-ward, studying constellations he'd only seen in text-books and on television screens. Everything was impossibly real, and yet, painfully surreal. He felt himself sliding out of place, unwraveling in a state of dissociative fugue.

He was so caught up in his thoughts that he didn't hear the sound of shoes scraping against concrete until vermillion hair and chartreuse eyes eclipsed his vision of the heavens above. He jerked in distress, dropping his legs so that he was upright, "What are you  _doing_?"

"Pretty sure that's my line." The red-head was crouched by the water's edge, a cigarette hanging from the corner of his mouth. The smell of it made Roxas' eyes water, a dull sting causing him to flinch away, "You know, most people don't swim with their clothes on, or at the unholy hour of three in the morning." The man spoke around the cigarette, his words coming out in soft rasps, undoubtedly from the smoke he was inhaling, "But then again, I get the feeling you're not most people."

Roxas sunk deeper in the water for a moment, the surface of the water forming just beneath his eyes before he swam to the edge of the pool where the man was still crouched, "You don't know the half of it." Roxas agreed, hoisting himself up and out of the water, water dripping off him in sheets, "Why are you out here?" Roxas spoke through chattering teeth, cold-air seeping in through his skin and freezing him to the bone.

"Again, my line." The red-head smirked, and it reminded Roxas of the cockiness older militant soldiers displayed when they thought they could out-best Roxas just on the basis of him being smaller. Only, it wasn't exactly the same. There was another unidentifiable emotion hidden in the way the corner of the man's mouth quirked up, "But, if you must know, I came out here to smoke." To make his point, the man waved around the cigarette, laughter spilling from his lips in a cackle when Roxas recoiled, "And what about you, baby blue?"

"I think that much is obvious," Roxas responded, gesturing to the pool he'd been swimming in all the while ignoring the appointed nick-name as if it would somehow obliterate itself from existence, "What's your name?" Roxas asked suddenly, eyes narrowing as he studied the man's face. His features were pointed, sharp angular jawline and high-cheek bones. The man's brows were thick, but arched in a way that Roxas assumed could only be achieved through divination or makeup. Most prominent, were the two triangular tattoos on the man's face along with a small hoop sticking out from one of the man's nostrils. The man was unconventionally attractive, if not altogether intimidating to look at. In fact, Roxas was certain that staring too long would result in the same devastating effects that could be derived from staring into the sun for too long.

"It's Axel. Roxas, right?" The man extended a hand, which Roxas stared at with measurable intensity before accepting it while nodding, "Nice to meet you, Roxas, but I should be heading back to my room. Try not to catch a cold."

The man stood, and before Roxas could process what was happening, the heaviness of a coat was draped over his shoulders. In response, Roxas trembled from the cold, teeth chattering under newly discovered warmth, "But, your jacket?"

Axel turned to walk backwards, hands deep inside of the pockets of his jeans, "Keep it. If it's destiny, you'll return it to me before I leave tomorrow morning."

"That's not destiny, that's just responsibility." Roxas called after the red-head, eye-brows knitting together in confusion, but if the man heard him, he certainly didn't make any effort to correct him. Before Roxas knew it, he was alone again, and as he pulled the jacket tighter around his shoulders, he cultivated new memories in the smell of a cologne he didn't recognize.


	3. Destiny

**Axel**

Axel and Demyx had been sitting in the diner for less than a minute when Riku joined them. As the platinum blond slid into the booth, he brushed back his surprisingly unkempt hair with his fingers while muttering under his breath, "Don said it'll be another hour or so. At least we can get some breakfast before leaving."

In time with Riku's arrival was the arrival of the waitress who dropped off coffee that Axel had ordered for the trio. In response, Riku politely dismissed her when she asked for their breakfast orders, explaining they weren't ready yet.

"Rough night?" Demyx had daringly asked, a hint of a smirk hidden behind a strategically placed menu. Axel eyed the blonde out of his peripheral vision, shaking his head.

Riku gave Demyx a short lived glare, responding with a one finger salute before promptly resting his cheek against his knuckles. As Axel watched RIku absentmindedly flip through the menu, he couldn't help but chuckle.

Out of the three of them, Riku usually took on the role of being the _mothe_ r of the group. In fact, Axel was pretty sure he would've never made it to twenty-four if it wasn't for Riku consistently giving him the proverbial kick-in-the-ass. Thus, Riku's tousled hair and sleep-less expression could have easily doubled as the prologue to the apocalypse. "Could have slept in my bed. " Axel offered, rolling his shoulders.

"Yeah, but you _snore_." Demyx answered before Riku could, "I had to restrain Riku from suffocating you last night."

"My snoring is not that bad. Plus, we're roommates, he should be used to it by now." Axel defended, giving Riku an expectant look, but the platinum blond made little effort to come to his defenses.

"It would've been the equivalent to sleeping next to a freight train." Riku offered, looking at the coffee creamers with a quizzical expression before settling for black coffee, "Axel, I have never believed in supernatural phenomena, but like Fox Moulder's 'I Want to Believe' poster, I spent my first night in the apartment convinced you were possessed by at least _ten_ restless spirits."

Demyx laughed, not even attempting to hide his amusement, "And all this time I thought Riku was exaggerating, but you could front-line a screamo band with those ungodly sounds." As if to make his point, Demyx stuck out his tongue while holding up in his fingers in 'devil horn' formation.

"So you would have rather slept in a chair than sleep in a bed, with me, because I _snore_? Well, the _both_ of you can suck—"Axel had wound up his insult with stressed consonants, perfectly poised with his tongue pressed into his cheek, hand balled into a fist where he made faux-fellatio gestures to his friends until he was interrupted.

"Are you guys ready to order yet?" The waitress, a bubbly brunette, smiled at them, seemingly have missed, or completely ignoring, Axel's vulgar gestures.

There was a round of laughter shared between Demyx and Riku, neither holding back nor offering to clue-in the perplexed waitress. In turn, Axel cleared his throat before managing a polite smile and placing his order to stave off his own embarrassment.

When the other two finished ordering and the waitress disappeared, Riku smirked, "Smooth move, Exlax."

"Shut the fuck up." Axel half-grunted, rolling his eyes. Axel was certain Demyx had said something equally smart-mouthed, but it went ignored as he watched the front door of the diner open, Roxas striding in with comical uncertainty.

When they accidentally made eye-contact, Axel raised his hand in a wave of acknowledgement. Roxas returned it, though more hesitantly and with curling fingers.

**Roxas**

Roxas had half-expected to have already missed the peculiar red-head, but he was relieved, if not a little nervous, to find that the man was at the diner. Roxas had already reasoned with himself that he found Axel's feline, if not altogether alien, features to be attractive. Though, admittedly, it wasn't in the same way he found Leon, or even Vexen, attractive. It was _different_. They'd only met two, extraordinarily brief, times, but each were punctuated with a distinct fluttering in the pit of Roxas' stomach.

The blonde had considered taking a moment to catch his nerve before approaching, but they'd locked gazes quicker than expected. Roxas had waved tentatively before forcing his legs into command. He managed a smile, acknowledging the two strangers Axel was with before looking at Axel whose eyes distinctly reminded Roxas of the sour-apple Jolly Ranchers Vexen had once let him try, "Guess this is destiny." Roxas mused light-heartedly, holding the man's jacket out for him to take.

"I thought it was responsibility." Axel retorted, eying the jacket and then looking at Roxas with a light-smirk. When the red-head accepted the jacket, Roxas felt his fingers brush against Axel's, sending an electric current through him that he transduced into the flickering bulb above the table. Neither seemed to notice.

There was some amused snickering from Axel's blond friend, but Roxas merely smiled in turn, "I should get going. It was nice meeting you, Axel."

Axel opened his mouth to say something, but the brunette waitress cut him as she returned to fill up the table's coffee cups, "Hey, you're the infamous Roxas, right? I reckon you're just as cute as Kairi described!" The girl giggled with a soft southern accent lacing her words. Roxas felt the heat rise to his cheeks at the compliment, laughing nervously in response before the brunette continued on, "I'm Selphie. Still thinking about hanging around? "

If Roxas were honest, he would've loved to stick around. Everyone thus far had been more than kind to him and he wouldn't mind maintaining a quiet and modest living in the middle of nowhere if it meant never having to see the inside of a laboratory again. However, Roxas knew that settling down wasn't a reality that he could get comfortable with if he wanted to stay out of the observant gaze of the government.

"I—can't." The blonde started, feeling a bit out of place when it came to talking to about his plans, or lack thereof, as it were, "I'm leaving in a little bit, actually. I was just—" His blue eyes flicked over to the absinthe eyes at the table nearby, "returning something."

"You're not planning on hitch-hiking or anything, are ya?" Selphie asked, eye brow furrowing together in genuine concer.

"I don't—" Roxas began, biting his bottom lip as now both Axel and Selphie were giving him expectant looks, "—have much of a choice, really. It's really not that big of a deal. I can take care of myself."

"We could give you a ride," Axel interjected suddenly, leaning back in the booth as he seemingly ignored the uncertain gazes his companions were giving him, "I mean, assuming you're heading towards Colorado" Axel made a sweeping gesture with his hand, rolling his shoulders in a shrug.

"Thanks, but I really don't want to impose. " Roxas held up his hands as if surrendering.

"You wouldn't be imposing." To Roxas' surprise, the statement hadn't come from Axel, but from his platinum blonde friend. The man eyed him inquisitively, seemingly sizing him up, "The car will probably be done in another hour, though. What room are you in?"

Roxas lingered on the idea for a few seconds, contemplating if going anywhere with complete strangers was a good idea, but it wasn't like he had much of a choice. If Roxas were honest, the only thing he could rely on was the kindness of strangers, "Thirteen." Roxas answered cautiously, "Thank you, for the ride—" Roxas supplied, meeting Axel's gaze, "—And for the jacket."

With some time to kill, Roxas chose to inform Kairi's mother about his decision to leave, wanting to properly thank her for the hospitality. As he stepped into the front-office, he smiled politely at the plump woman who was busy flipping through a fashion magazine. At first, she didn't notice him, not even looking up when the bell above the door rang. When she did finally manage to tear her eyes away from the magazine, she smiled widely. It was the type of motherly smile that Roxas had only ever seen in films, "I—" Roxas began, lips parted to speak, but the sudden oppressing reality of all of his decisions seemed to be halting his speech, at least for the moment, "—I just wanted to say thank you, again. I would love to stay, but—"

"Say no more." The woman held a hand up to stop him, smile remaining on her face, "I don't know what you're running from, but when I was your age, I fell in love with a man who abused me. When I found out I was pregnant, I knew I had to leave. I had nothing but I was fortunate enough to meet people along the way who helped me." As the woman spoke she opened the cash register, pulling out several bills, "Which is what I'm going to do for you."

"I really couldn't—you've already done so much." Roxas felt his voice crack, overwhelmed by the generosity. He felt his eyes begin to burn from the tears that threatened to fall, hand coming up to flick away brimming tears, "I can't—"

"One day you'll get back on your feet and when that day comes, repay me." The woman added with a simple gesture, coming from behind the counter where she gingerly grabbed Roxas' hand and entrusted the money to him, hands creating a vice around his own in insistence, "It's not much, but it'll help you. You be careful out there, Roxas."

**Axel**

"Why'd you agree so easily to give him a ride?" The question was significant delayed, coming to life midst re-packing in the confines of their hotel room. The question had been burning in the back of Axel's throat given that Riku ever gave in easily when it came to anything that could spell trouble.

In turn, Riku sighed with a roll of his eyes while covering his bed-head with a dark blue beanie, "Because I know you, Axel."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Axel countered while tying his hair up in a bun, several red strands breaking lose from the hair-tie in an act of rebellion.

Riku laughed now, "It means you buy cat food for cats we don't have." The man arched a brow, upper lip curling into a half-hearted smirk, "You bring home more stray cats than any humane society knows what to do with. So I know that if we didn't agree to give—what's his name? _Roxas_?—A lift you would have a way to do it anyway."

Axel had an argument on the tip of his tongue, but it died out with the bitter realization that Riku had a point. In the same way the red-head didn't completely comprehend his overwhelming desire to feed stray cats, he didn't understand his desire to help Roxas. He told himself it was because he didn't like the idea of the kid getting killed in the back of some truck-drivers cab, but he knew that wasn't the _only_ reason. There was something magnetic about the blonde.

"How'd you even meet him?" Demyx cued in suddenly, breaking Axel from his thoughts.

Axel subconsciously scratched at his chin in thought, "Well, technically, I bumped into him when I was looking for a phone. However, I really met him last night when he was—uh, _swimming?_ " Axel narrowed his eyes, realizing how truly bizarre it all sounded when he said it out loud.

"Swimming? Wait—do you mean when you went out for a smoke last night?" Riku's tone held mild exasperation to it, "Wasn't that at, like, three in the morning?"

"Yeah—he was cute, I don't know, _man_." Axel found himself defending his actions where they didn't need defending.

"No judgement, Ax." Riku wore a taunting grin, holding his hands up in mock-surrender, "Like I said, you've always had thing for stray cats." Riku was snickering now, and while Axel knew the tone wasn't laced with any hostility, it didn't stop the red-head from grinding his molars.

"Think the cars ready yet?" Demyx interjected to defuse the forming animosity between the two friends.

**Roxas**

Roxas had just finished packing what little belongings he had, including the brochures that hastily mapped out his route. When he was finished he slung the knapsack over his shoulder and returned his room key with additional 'thank yous' attached. His last stop being the diner where he said good-bye to Kairi, and even Selphie, before walking outside to meet with Axel's group.

As he walked back outside, he noted the newly arrived black-hummer with unease, but couldn't place why. Thus, he pushed down the intrusive thought by focusing on Axel who was helping his platinum blonde friend put their luggage in the trunk.

"Roxas, right?" Axel's friend had been the first to spot him out of his peripheral, a charming smile plastered on his face as he extended his hand out to him, "I'm Riku."

Roxas nodded in response, returning the hand-shake, "Nice to _properly_ meet you, and thanks again, for the ride." The blonde found the interaction painfully awkward, but he reasoned the entire situation was painfully awkward in its own right.

Thankfully, the tension was cut when Axel's third friend came jogging up to them, presumably having been the one to check-out. As he approached, slightly winded, "Dudes, did you see that guy? He was missing an eye!" The blonde was gesturing to the empty black-hummer and then to the front-office to indicate where he'd seen the man.

"And this is Demyx." Axel supplied, shaking his head with a snort, "He has the mannerisms of a barbarian, but I swear he's harmless."

"And we promise he's updated on his vaccinations." Riku added, smirking at Demyx who rebutted with an audible 'hey'.

"I think the jury's still out on that one." Axel smirked which ensued in childish bickering between Demyx and Axel only to be ended with the red-head entrapping Demyx in a half-cocked head-lock and promising to mess up his hair. Which, Roxas learned in the quarrel, took an impressive hour to style.

Roxas found himself smiling at the way the trio interacted. It was strangely refreshing compared to the stoic and dry-humor that usually came from the government officials he'd grown accustomed to. He'd never had the benefit of associating with people his age growing up. Thus, it stood to reason, he was socially stunted when it came to people his own age. There wasn't much he had in common with them, or anyone, really. The thought left a melachonloy taste in his mouth, but he swallowed it down as he observed with a laugh.

"Are they always like this?" Roxas questioned slowly, glancing towards Riku with an amused smile.

"Unfortunately." Riku snorted, returning the smile with notable hesitance before shaking his head, "Alright, alright, enough you two. You're giving me a headache." Riku scolded, snapping his fingers in front of Axel with the type of authority that had Roxas laughing once more.

"He started it." Demyx accused with a whine, breaking free from the red-heads hold only to give the taller man a quick jab to the bicep in retaliation.

"And I'm finishing it. We've got a long drive and I'm not going to listen to you two argue the whole way there." Riku concluded, shutting the trunk close to emphasis his point.

"Yes, _mom_." Both Demyx and Axel mocked in unison, but despite Riku's glare of annoyance, Roxas noted that the man's upper lip curled up in amusement.

The bickering died when they began climbing in the vehicle, leaving Roxas to realize that the last time he'd been in a vehicle was back when he was a child, and that was only because he'd gotten a serious lung infection and had to be transported to a health facility on the other side of the base. It was another strange realization that cluttered with the other realities in the back of his head, reminding of how new everything was.

There was an under-current of fear that embedded itself in Roxas' bones. Fear of the unknown. Fear of the known. Fear. It was central to his existence in a way that he'd never experienced it before. It was real and raw, but as unsettling as it felt, it made him feel real and whole. So, as much as it made his stomach flutter with nausea, he relished in it.

When he climbed into the back-seat, he gingerly ran his fingers over the fabric of the door's interior. And when he noted that Axel was next to him and unknowingly watching him observe the world for the first time, Roxas laughed. And Axel smiled at him. And even if Roxas knew that Axel didn't understand what all of this meant to him, the smile brought him comfort.

"Alright, Colorado it is." Demyx called from the driver-seat, turning the key in the ignition until the engine rumbled with life. There was some exaggerated whooping and hollering from the trio, Axel leaning forward to methodically drum spindly fingers on the back of Riku's head rest for emphasis.

When they finally pulled out of the parking lot with cloud of dirt and dust, Roxas, with child-like fascination, turned in his seat to briefly watch the hotel fade in the distance. And his senses flooded with the reoccurring mantra of 'freedom'.


End file.
